Newton fined over chicken wing

Clint Newton of Hull Kingston Rovers last night escaped a suspension despite becoming the first player in this country to be found guilty of making the controversial chicken-wing tackle that has dominated headlines in Australia. A disciplinary hearing ruled that the forward was guilty of "behaviour contrary to the true spirit of the game by making a dangerous tackle" in Sunday's win over Bradford but his punishment was limited to a £300 fine.

The chicken-wing tackle, where pressure is applied to the arm of a player which is not carrying the ball, has caused controversy in Australia, with Newton's former club Melbourne Storm at the centre of the furore. Their forward Adam Blair was found guilty of committing one against Brisbane this month, and not suspended, prompting the Broncos' coach, Wayne Bennett, to criticise the use of wrestling holds and techniques aiming to slow down play-the-balls. Melbourne are one of several Australian clubs that employ a wrestling coach as part of their backroom staff.

Stuart Cummings, the Rugby Football League's match officials director, contacted his NRL counterpart Greg McCallum before last night's disciplinary hearing. Newton is now free to face Workington Town in Sunday's Challenge Cup fourth-round tie in Cumbria."It's a play I don't want to see creeping into our game," said Bradford's coach, Steve McNamara. "It is potentially an action that can deliberately cause serious injury. It makes you cringe when you see it happening and I'm pleased that our disciplinary are picking up on it."

Wigan have emerged as a threat to Hull FC in the race for Canberra Raiders' scrum-half Michael Dobson. Hull's directors Kath Hetherington and James Rule are in Australia talking to targets including Dobson, with the St George-Illawarra front-row Jason Ryles also a target, along with the Penrith forward Tony Puletua.